U.S. Wind Power Still Growing at a Record Pace, Says AWEA

The U.S. wind energy industry installed 1,400 megawatts (MW) of new
wind power capacity during the first quarter of 2008, according to the
American Wind Energy Association (AWEA). With more than 4,000 MW of
additional wind power capacity now under construction, the industry is
on pace to meet or exceed last year's record installed capacity of
5,249 MW. (AWEA recently adjusted this number upward from the earlier
reported number of 5,244 MW.) More than half of the new capacity was
built in Texas, including the largest new facility, the 209-MW Roscoe
Wind Farm, which was built by Airtricity, Inc. and is located about
50 miles west of Abilene. The largest new facility under construction
is the 400-MW Fowler Ridge Wind Farm in Indiana, located 90 miles
northwest of Indianapolis. That project and the nearby 130.5-MW Benton
County Wind Farm will be the first major wind facilities in Indiana.
But despite the wind industry's current breakneck pace and
geographical expansion, AWEA warns that construction could stall next
year if the production tax credit is not renewed. The tax credit
expires at the end of the year and could result in a rush to complete
the current projects before the year's end. See the AWEA press release
and first-quarter market report (PDF 226 KB).
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The AWEA press release also notes that more wind turbine components
are now being manufactured in the United States. At least 17
manufacturing facilities were either brought online or expanded in
2007 and early 2008, and over the past 3 years the percentage of
U.S.-made components has increased from less than 30% to nearly
50%. That trend looks likely to continue, as Siemens has announced
plans to double its wind blade manufacturing capacity in Iowa, while
Vestas Wind Systems plans to build a manufacturing plant for wind
turbine towers in Colorado. Siemens just opened its Iowa facility in
2007, and the planned expansion will add another 200 jobs at the
plant. Likewise, Vestas just opened a wind blade manufacturing plant
in Colorado, and is now "resolved to build the world's largest tower
factory" in the same state. The factory will require an investment of
nearly $250 million, and when it is completed in mid-2010, it will
convert 200,000 metric tons of steel into about 900 towers each year,
employing about 400 people. See the Siemens press release
and pages 5 and 6 of Vestas' first-quarter interim financial report (PDF 88 KB).